By Susan Campbell

With the current innovations that are in place at this time, is it possible to move toward a low-carbon economy?

If Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) industries can leverage their own value proposition to drive sustainable growth in this space, they will not only drive that vision of sustainable environmental protection to reality, they will also be able to develop jobs and wealth.

As captured in this Alcatel-Lucent white paper, "Information and Communication Technologies: Enablers of a Low-carbon Economy," the ICT sector accounts for only 2 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions yet offers the ability to significantly reduce that remaining 98 percent by as much as 15 percent by 2020. Alcatel-Lucent offers, for example, smart grid and smart metering solutions focused on the energy sector and intelligent transportation systems to drive such efforts.

Such solutions can enable electricity generators to route power more efficiently, reduce peak capacity requirements and exchange real-time information with customers. Solutions for the smart grid have the potential to reduce carbon emissions substantially over the next decade, if they are adopted and implemented according to design.

ICT solutions can also drive change in the transportation sector by improving logistic networks, making it easier to mix transportation modes, define the most energy-efficient type of transport, help optimize routes and reduce inventory needs.

Alcatel-Lucent is taking an open, collaborative approach to such initiatives, launching GreenTouch, a global research consortium. GreenTouch brings together leaders in industry, academia and government labs to work toward making communication networks 1,000 times more energy efficient.

This focus is important as ICT industries have demonstrated they have an inherent ability to stimulate sustained development of new business activities and employment opportunities. This sector can drive economic growth, while also developing the innovations necessary to directly battle climate change.

The combined economic and environmental benefit derived from ICT solutions are a result of innovative communications applications and solutions placed in areas as diverse as building design and maintenance, transport and logistics, electricity generation, distribution and consumption, business process streamlining and so much more.

Alcatel-Lucent takes the position that companies should act as responsible corporate citizens and leads this belief with measurable action.

By Beecher Tuttle

Today's service providers are faced with quite a predicament. Consumers' insatiable demand for innovative, next-generation communication services has put a great deal of pressure on them to build out networks that are capable of handling the load.

Unfortunately, the economic recession has made this process difficult for service providers, which need to minimize their own operating expenses just like every other business. On top of all of this, operators must keep a watchful eye on the negative impact that their technologies can have on the environment.